Vintage Marquez: pole, save, celebrate

MM93 takes his 93rd career pole ahead of Bezzecchi and Martin as damp quali delivers a classic in Jerez.

Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) raised the roof on home turf at the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España, taking his first pole on a Ducati and the 93rd pole of his career. It was pure vintage Marquez too – moving the benchmark in the damp followed immediately by an almighty save round Turn 1. But no one could overhaul his lap, and the #93 heads the grid ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing).

By the time Q1 began, the rain had eased but the track remained damp, presenting the grid with a whole new challenge. And the top spot switched lap on lap as some improved and some lost time, with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and teammates Jack Miller and Dani Pedrosa, wildcarding this weekend, in the mix, as well as a fast one from Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing). But as the clock ticked down it was Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) who found even more time, shaving more than six tenths off the top to push Binder down to second.

Pedrosa and Miller had gone early and had no late challenge, with the final decider then coming down to a lap from Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR), but the Frenchman lost out after a storming start and was forced to settle for third. Morbidelli moved through along with Binder, leaving Zarco, Oliveira, Miller and Pedrosa behind to start from P13 down.

DID YOU MISS ME?
As Q2 began, the conditions were drying but still damp. The field filed out for a recon run as soon as the light went green, and then the timing screens lit up. After a few furious minutes it was Q1 graduate Binder on top ahead of Marc Marquez, with Martin edging out rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) to complete the provisional front row.

The first red sector assault on Run 2 was coming in from Acosta too, but the rookie then slid out at Turn 13 when seven tenths up. No harm done, he picked it up and got back on, but the lap was lost. Next up, Bezzecchi was putting in similar splits, and the Italian did complete his lap, taking over on top and Martin slotting into second behind him. But then came Marquez.

Half a second up by the final sector, it looked a dead cert, but nothing ever is in MotoGP™. This time though, there was no drama and he crossed the line to take provisional pole, setting the only 1:46 so far and, as it would turn out, the only one of the session. And then it got even more Marquez as the #93 was forced into a classic Turn 1 save on his knee, leaving that one lap as the target for the rest as the final seconds ticked down. But there was no more coming and it’s a little slice of history made on home turf.

THE GRID
Bezzecchi starts second, 0.271 off the top, with Martin third to complete a fascinating front row of rivalries new and old. Binder takes fourth following quite a Saturday morning recovery mission after the South African found himself in Q1, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) completing Row 2.

The third row is reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Q1 graduate Morbidelli, and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team), with Acosta not able to move up the order after his crash and set to start P10. But that’s just ahead of COTA winner Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) as he and teammate Aleix Espargaro, just behind him, had a tougher one in the wet. They’ll be looking to move forward in a big way once the lights go out. For the Tissot Sprint they’ll do that at 15:00 today, for the Grand Prix at 14:00 tomorrow. See you there!